Death-defying poodle has another close call

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. — Hard hat on, Mango's ready for anything 2008 throws at her.

The ruddy 2-pound poodle was featured in a story earlier this month after her doctor-owner saved her life with cardiopulmonary resuscitation. But just as she was recovering, the Lake Oswego pooch almost bit it again.

Mango's first near-death experience occurred on Thanksgiving. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time: in the path of a pot of stuffing accidentally knocked off the kitchen counter as Dr. Joe Stapleton, an anesthesiologist, prepared his family's holiday turkey.

Mango quit breathing and her heart stopped.

As his wife, Roxanne, drove to an emergency veterinary clinic, Stapleton gave mouth-to-snout resuscitation and administered chest compressions. His quick work saved the fluffy 1-year-old.

One night before Mango's first story hit newspapers nationwide, Joe Stapleton got home from work and walked into the kitchen, and Mango raced to greet him. Stopped short by a new gate the family had installed to keep their dogs out of the kitchen, Mango jumped.

Up, up, up she went before gravity took charge and Mango landed. On her head.

She flopped onto her side, unconscious.

The Stapletons knew what to do. As Roxanne drove again toward the emergency veterinary clinic, Joe started CPR. About halfway there, Mango came to. But she spent the night at the clinic on intravenous fluids, medicine and oxygen.

The dog went home the next morning. But she's had two blows to the head that might have killed her, and she's still wobbly. Her vet recommended that until she's steady on her paws, Mango should use caution.

So when none of her human companions are around, Mango spends her time in a soft-sided baby playpen.

And when the Stapletons are with her, they strap Mango into a new safety device that suits her poodlelicious style: a hot-pink hard hat.